The Passion of Anna

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The Passion of Anna

Film poster
Directed by Ingmar Bergman
Produced by Lars-Owe Carlberg
Written by Ingmar Bergman
Starring Max von Sydow
Liv Ullmann
Bibi Andersson
Cinematography Sven Nykvist
Editing by Siv Lundgren
Distributed by United Artists
Release date(s) November 10, 1969
Running time 101 min.
Language Swedish
IMDb profile

The Passion of Anna (original Swedish title En Passion) is a 1969 drama film written and directed by Ingmar Bergman.

[edit] Plot

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Andreas, a man struggling with the recent demise of his marriage and living in emotional isolation, meets Anna, who is grieving the recent deaths of her husband and son. While Anna uses Andreas' phone, he listens in on her conversation and later, when she has gone but left her handbag behind, Andreas searchs it and reads a letter that will later prove she is deceptive about her past. Andreas befriends a married couple, Eva and Elis-mutual friends of Anna-who are also in the midst of psychological turmoil. Andreas has a tryst with Eva but ultimately takes up living with Anna, though he is warned by Eva cryptically to be wary of her. The relationship is not very passionate but Andreas and Anna start off happy enough. Anna appears zealous in her faith and steadfast in her search for truth, but gradually her delusions surface-reinforced by what Andreas read in the letter. For his part, Andreas is unable to overcome his feelings of deep humiliation about his own past and remains disconnected, further dooming the relationship with Anna. As these events unfold, an unknown person among the island community commits acts of animal cruelty. A friend of Andreas is wrongly accused of these crimes, leading to dire consequences. In the end, the past is more powerful then present forces, violence erupts and chances for healing are lost.

Bergman uses his deconstructionist devices, cutting occasionally to his actors being interviewed about their characters and he inserts iconic violent news footage into a sequence. There is a wonderful black and white filmed dream sequence (lifted from a previous Bergman film,Shame) to go along with Nykvist's beautifully muted colour photography.

[edit] Cast (in credits order)

[edit] Rest of cast listed alphabetically

  • Britta Brunius (Woman in dream)
  • Lars-Owe Carlberg (Police officer)
  • Malin Ek (Woman in dream)
  • Barbro Hiort af Ornäs (Woman in dream)
  • Svea Holst (Verner's wife)
  • Marianne Karlbeck (Woman in dream)
  • Annika Kronberg (Katarina)
  • Brita Öberg (Woman in dream)
  • Brian Wikström (Police officer)
  • Ingmar Bergman (Narrator (voice)) (uncredited)
  • Hjördis Petterson (Johan's sister) (uncredited)


Films by Ingmar Bergman
Crisis • A Ship to India • Summer with Monika • Smiles of a Summer Night • The Seventh Seal • Wild Strawberries • The Magician • The Virgin Spring • Through a Glass Darkly • Winter Light • The Silence • All These Women • Persona • Hour of the Wolf • Skammen • The Rite • The Passion of Anna • The Touch • Cries and Whispers • Scenes from a Marriage • The Magic Flute • Face to Face • The Serpent's Egg • Autumn Sonata • From the Life of the Marionettes • Fanny and Alexander • Karin's Face • After the Rehearsal • In the Presence of a Clown • Saraband
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